The Week That Was, March 3-9

POLITICS. Some 338 candidates filed for party or judicial primary elections by Monday's deadline, led by record interest in the U.S. Senate seat.

REPUBLICANS. They'll have primaries for every federal office on the ballot this year and odds are they'll make gains in both houses of the state legislature, based on guaranteed seats so far and the outlook in contested races.

LITTLE ROCK. The Little Rock Marathon drew thousands of runners and thousands more spectators who luxuriated in cool, sunny weather and the good vibes of a well-run event.

REP. ROBERT MOORE. After adjournment of the legislative session, his House colleagues gave him enough votes to become speaker of the House in 2011.

The RAZORBACKS. No, not the men's basketball team, which is still struggling. The school's club hockey team won the SEC champion-ship. Who knew?

IT WAS A BAD WEEK FOR …

ALEXANDER. This misbegotten hamlet on the Pulaski-Saline line was on the losing end of a discrimination lawsuit. Federal Judge G. Thomas Eisele said Assistant Police Chief Tommy Leath had racially profiled Hispanic drivers to pile up fines for minor infrac-tions.

GOV. MIKE BEEBE. He's a cool, cautious, intelligent leader. But did he really need to throw around talk of more tax cuts, even if it is elec-tion season? The state is barely holding things together as it is thanks to depressed revenues and a still-gloomy economic outlook.

KY MADDEN. The East Poinsett guard, one of the state's most touted high school basketball players, lost his cool after a playoff loss and kicked over a huge water container, dumping water on a new gym floor. Not a good press clipping.

DIET COKE LOVERS. Pepsi again won exclusive rights to sell soft drinks at UALR in a seven-year deal worth $1.9 million to the school.